1. Technical Field
The method and apparatus of this invention relate generally to an apparatus and method for automatically transporting a meat product for trimming an unwanted portion of material from the meat product. More specifically, it relates to an apparatus and method of automatically feeding a meat product to a meat trimmer for trimming portions from a meat product which is of an extended, non-uniform shaped products such as but not limited to jowls, bellys, fat backs, pork lions and the like. The invention is particularly adapted to accommodate slightly "bowed" products having a "bony consistency" and which are most effectively trimmed by slightly flattening the product prior to trimming.
Meat "muscle" or "products" as used herein are meant to refer broadly to beef, pork, poultry, fish and the like. Materials to be trimmed may be fat, membranes, skin, connective tissue, gristle, bone or the like.
Taste in meat and desired fat content vary from country to country. In the United States, consumers generally desire about a one-quarter inch fat layer around the meat "muscle". However, the meat muscle in its original form may have a much thicker layer than this. Consequently, a portion of the fat must be trimmed from the meat muscle.
Currently, extended, rounded meat products must usually be trimmed by hand or using automatic feed machines. Some automatic machines such as the Maja SBA420, VBA 500 and the like, are very efficient at automatically trimming muscles. However, they tend to pivot or skew more elongated muscles as they are pulled through the machine during the trimming process. Additionally, slightly "bowed" products are not effectively trimmed since a relatively small, tangential, portion of the product contacts the blade. Conversely, while quite accurate, trimming by hand creates the possibility of serious injury to the hands. Additionally, there is a very large reduction in efficiency due to the time required to perform the numerous hand strokes necessary. Consequently, it is highly desirable to automate the process of trimming, irregularly shaped and slightly "bowed" meat products.
When the meat product is bowed and/or of irregular shape, there is a tendency for the product to be pivoted or skewed out of alignment while being pulled through the machine. This usually results because the irregularities in the meat shape cause different parts of the meat piece to be engaged nonuniformly by the friction devices in the machine. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a guidance mechanism which will act throughout the entire longitudinal extent of the product preventing any lateral movement of the product. While it is not possible to "assign" specific meat cuts to specific press roller configurations, some general guidelines are possible. When the product has a "bony" consistency, some type of "fingered" wheel is most effective at griping the meat product. Thus, where it is desired to engage elongated, irregularly shaped bony products, a plurality of wheels, longitudinally spaced along the meat products length, is usually most effective. Similarly, where it is desired that the meat cut be slightly "flattened" when passing over the blade, longitudinally space roller sets may effectively provide such a flattening force. The present invention is a simple device which will accommodate these elongated irregularly shaped meat products and which adapted for quick installation on conventional, automatic skinning machines.
In addition to the trimming function, it is sometimes desired (or in certain cases required by the FDA and USDA) to slice open or even cut off a portion of the muscle prior to its being trimmed. This inventor has provided a simple means for accomplishing any required slicing at the same time as the trimming by incorporating a slicing blade as one of the press rollers.
The present invention is adapted for use on conventional automatic meat trimmers of the type described generally in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,323 which is herein incorporated by reference. Examples of such machines are the Maja GEA421, SBA420, and ESB441 and VBA 500 series machines. However, the present invention is not limited to these machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art devices for automatically trimming unwanted portions from meat products are well known in the art. However, these devices are generally limited to meat products which are generally smaller or rounded. When such a machine is utilized with elongated or "bowed" meat pieces, it can have the undesirable characteristic of pivoting, skewing, or only tangentially trimming the product as it passes over the trimming blade. Consequently, some residual or "touch-up" trimming must be accomplished by hand with its concomitant problems, such as inefficiency and injuries. Additionally, mistrimming of the meat can lead to "bare" spots where excess fat has been trimmed. Thus even if the possibility of injury were eliminated, the inefficiency of hand trimming would remain.
Automatic machines have been developed having elongated upper feed mechanisms such as conveyors or paddles for trimming of longer meant pieces. However, these machines are not particularly well suited for certain "bony" meat muscles. Meat muscles such as short loins may present a single contact point for an upper feed mechanism. Furthermore this point if "bony" is relatively frictionless to a flat surface such as a conveyor belt. Consequently, a means is needed to generate a greater frictional engagement with the meat product. A means this inventor has found to be very effective, is a plurality of wheels having gingers projectly therefrom, the invention is also capable of providing a simple and automatic slicing of the meat product during trimming.
Consequently, there is a great need for an apparatus which is capable of automatically skinning and slicing these elongated, "bowed" and/or irregularly shaped meat products.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of efficiently transporting a meat product into an automatic trimmer and safely and automatically removing unwanted material such as fat, membranes and the like from elongated, bowed and/or irregularly shaped meat products such products might include, but not limited to, jowls, bellies, fatbacks, pork loins, "flat" beef or the like.
Another objective is to provide an apparatus which is capable of slicing a meat product at a desired location automatically during the trimming process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an upper conveyor apparatus which is capable of transporting and trimming a variety of different sizes of meat products.
Another objective is to provide an apparatus capable of substantially "flattening" a meat piece during the trimming thereof.
Another object is to provide an apparatus capable of automatically feeding a variety of meat product types such as beef, pork, fish and other muscles into an automatic trimming apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a feed mechanism capable of keeping the meat product in proper position during the trimming process.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is capable of conveying meat products of a variety of temperatures and consistencies, especially bony consistencies.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is capable of automatic position adjustment to accommodate meat products of irregular shape.